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GLOSSARY TO ACCOM- 
PANY DEPARTMENTAL 
DITTIES AS WRITTEN 
BY RUDYARD KIPLING 




M. F. MANSFIELD & A. WESSELS 

NEW YORK, MDCCCXCIX. 



Copyright 



1 
M. F. Mansfield & A. Wessels 






coc?v 7* 



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GLOSSARY 



PREFATORY NOTE 



THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTION TO 
KIPLINGIANA IS OFFERED TO THE 
ENTHUSIASTS AND STUDENTS OF THE 
WRITINGS OF MR. KIPLING MERELY AS 
A SUGGESTION TO THOSE WHO MIGHT 
CARE TO COMPILE FOR THEIR OWN 
USE STILL FURTHER MATTER ALONG 
THE SAME LINES. TO THIS END AMPLE 
MARGINS HAVE BEEN GIVEN, AND IT 
IS HOPED THE BOOK WILL FORM 
AT LEAST A SUITABLE KEY TO THE 
FURTHERANCE OF SUCH A LINE OF 
WORK 



GLOSSARY 
A 

Afridis 

An Afghan clan west and south of 
Peshawar. 

Allah 

The Mahommedan name for God. 

Annandale 

A valley near Simla — the Simla 
Racecourse, Cricket, and Recreation 
Grounds. 

Aryan 

A Sanskrit word signifying "noble." 
A term frequently used to include all 
the races (Indo-Persic, Greek, Roman, 
Celtic, Slavonic, etc.), who speak 
languages belonging to the same 
family as Sanskrit. 

Avatar 

An incarnation on earth of a divine 
Being. 



B 



Babu 

A title such as " Mr.," used frequently 
to signify a Bengali clerk. 

Babul 

A small thorny mimosa jungle tree, 
blossoms profusely a bright yellow 
tassel-like flower, of the size and form 
of a bullet, of an aromatic fragrance 
resembling that of the wallflower. 

Bandar 

A monkey. 

Baqugar 

A tumbler, one who exhibits feats of 
activity. 

Begum 

A lady, a queen. 

Benmore 

The old Simla Assembly Rooms. 

Bhamo 

A district in Upper Burma, bordering 
on Yunnan. 

Bikaneer 

A state in Rajputana. 



B 



Bob 

A captain in the Burmese native army. 

Boileaugunge 

A suburb of Simla, named after 
General Boileau. 

Bow Ba^ar 

One of the principal bazars in Cal- 
cutta. 

Brahmin 

A member of the priestly caste. 

Brinjaree 

The Brinjarees of the Deccan are 
dealers in grain and salt, who move 
about in numerous parties with cattle, 
carrying their goods to different 
markets. 

Bukhshi 

A paymaster in the Anglo-Indian 
army. 

Bul-bul 

The Persian nightingale. 

Bunnia 

A corn and seed merchant or dealer. 

ii 



B 



Bursat 

The rains, which set in about the 
middle of June — the first burst of them 
is known as the " chota bursat," or 
small rains — after which there is gen- 
erally a break before the regular mon- 
soon sets in. 

Bursati 

A disease to which horses are liable 
during the rains. 

Byle 

A bullock. 



13 



Charnock 

Job Charnock, the founder of Cal- 
cutta. 

Chota bUTSat, see "dursat." 

Collinga 

One of the principal bazars in Cal- 
cutta, where, until a few years since, 
most of the demi-monde, many of 
whom hailed from Austria and the 
Danubian provinces, resided. 

Cooly 

A hired labourer, or burden-carrier. 



!5 



D 



Dab Blade 

" Dah " is a short Burmese sword. 

Dak 

"Post," i.e., properly, transport by- 
relays of men and horses; and thence 
the mail or letter post, as well as any 
arrangement for travelling or for trans- 
mitting articles by such relays. 

Dak-bungalow 

A rest house for the accommodation 
of travellers. 

Darjeeling 

A famous Sanitarium in the Eastern 
Himalaya. The summer seat of the 
Bengal Government. 

Deodars 

The "Cedrusdeodarus" of the Hima- 
laya. 

Dibs 

A slang term for money — rupees. 

Dom 

The name of a very low caste repre- 
senting some old aboriginal race 
spread all over India. In many places 
they perform such offices as carrying 
dead bodies, removing carrion, etc. 

17 



D 



Duftar 

Book, Journal, Record — sometimes 
used instead of "duftar khana" for 
"the office/' 

Dustoorie 

That commission or percentage on 
the money passing in any cash trans- 
action which, with or without ac- 
knowledgment or permission, sticks 
to the fingers of the agent of payment. 

Dykes 

A firm of coach builders in Calcutta. 



19 



Ferasb (faras) 

A specie of date tree. 

Fultab 

A village in Bengal, situated on the 
Hughli; also an anchorage for vessels. 



21 



Garden Reach 

The reach or bend forming the en- 
trance to the Port of Calcutta — so- 
called, no doubt, on account of the 
fine garden residences which at one 
time lined the banks of the river at 
this part. 

Ghat 

A mountain pass, a landing place, or 
a ferry. 

Ghi 

Boiled or clarified butter. 



23 



H 



Hafii 

A guardian, governor, preserver. 

Hamilton 

Hamilton & Co., a well-known firm 
of jewellers. 

Hookutn 

An order, a command. 

Howrah 

A large town on the Hughli, opposite 
Calcutta. 

Hughli (or Hooghly) 

One of the principal rivers of Hindu- 
stan on which Calcutta is situated. 

Hurnai 

A pass leading from Baluchistan to 
Afghanistan. 



25 



J 

J {lift 

The non-Brahminical sect so called— 
believed now to represent the earliest 
heretics of Buddhism, at present 
chiefly found in the Bombay presi- 
dency. The Jains are generally mer- 
chants, and some have been men of 
immense wealth. 

Jakko 

A mountain peak in the Punjab— one 
of the highest of the Himalaya on 
which Simla is situated. 

Jat 

A tribe among Rajputs. 

Jaun Ba^ar 

One of the principal bazars in Cal- 
cutta. 

Jehannum 

Hades, hell. 

Jemadar 

The second native officer in a com- 
pany of Sepoys. 

Jczail 

A heavy Afghan rifle, fired with a 

forked rest. 

27 



J 

Jingal 

A small piece of Burmese artillery 
mounted on a carriage, managed by 
two men. 

Jungle 

Forest, or other wild growth. 

Jutogb 

A military station in the Punjab, at 
the entrance of Simla. 



29 



K 



Kafir 

An unbeliever in the Moslem faith. 

Kakahutti 

A village in the Punjab, on the road 
to Simla from the plains. 

Kalka 

A villa in the Punjab, at the foot of 
the Himalaya, on the road from Um- 
balla to Simla. 

Kedgeree 

A village and police station near the 
mouth of the Hughli; also an anchor- 
age for vessels. 

Khitmntgars 

Table servants— a Mahommedan who 
will also perform the duties of a valet. 

Khud 

A precipitous hillside, a deep valley. 

Khyraghaut 

A halting station near Simla. 

Khyberee {Khaibari) 

An Afghan tribe inhabiting the Khai- 
bar pass, in Afghanistan. 

31 



K 

Koil 

The Indian nightingale. 

Kullah 

A term used generally by Burmese 
for a western foreigner, a stranger. 

Kurrum 

A mountain pass into Afghanistan 
from the Punjab. 



33 



Lakh 

One hundred thousand rupees. 

Langur 

The great white-bearded ape, much 
patronized by Hindus, and identified 
with the monkey-god, Huniman. 



35 



M 



Mag 

Natives of Arakan. 

Mahratta 

The name of a famous Hindu race. 
The British won India from the two 
Hindu confederacies, the Marathas 
and the Sikhs. 

Mallie 

A gardener. 

Masbobra 

A village and hill in the Punjab, near 
Simla. 

Michni 

A fort in the Punjab. 

Mlech 

One without caste. 

Mooltan 

A district in the Punjab. 

Marrt (Murree) 

A Hill Station and Sanitarium in the 
Punjab. 

Musth 

In a state of periodical excitement. 

37 



N 



Nat 

A term applied to all spiritual beings, 
angels, elfs, demons, or what not, 
including the gods of the Hindus. 



39 



o 

Octroi 

A municipal tax. 



4* 



Padre 

A priest, clergyman, or minister of 
the Christian religion. 

Peg 

A term used for brandy (or other 
spirit) and soda. 

Peliti 

A well-known confectioner. 

Pice 

The smallest copper coin — 12 pice = 
1 anna; 16 annas = 1 rupee. 

Pukka 

Ripe, mature, cooked; and hence 
substantial, permanent, with many 
specific applications. One of the 
most common uses in which the 
word has become specific is that of 
brick and mortar in contradistinction 
to one of inferior material, as of mud, 
matting, or timber. 

Punjabi 

A native of the Punjab. 

Punkah 

A large swinging fan suspended from 
the ceiling and pulled by a cooly. 

43 



Quetta 

A town and cantonment in Baluchi- 
stan under British administration. 



45 



R 

Rajah 

A native chief. 

Rama 

One of the Puranic Deities. The hero 
of the Sanskrit epic, the Ramayana. 

Ranhen 

Ranken & Co., a well-known firm of 
tailors. 

'Rickshaw 

A contraction of "Jinny rickshaw," 
a two-wheeled conveyance drawn 
by a cooly — imported from Shanghai. 

Rupaiyat of Omar KaVvin 

A play on Rubaiyat of Omar Khay- 
yam, signifying (The Poem) con- 
nected with rupees of Omar Kal'vin 
(a late financial member of the Vice- 
roy's Council). 

Ryot 

A tenant of the soil: an individual 
occupying land as a farmer or culti- 
vator — a native agriculturist. 



47 



Saeristadar 

The head ministerial officer of a court, 
whose duty it is to receive plaints and 
see that they are in proper form and 
duly stamped, and generally to attend 
to routine business. 

Sahib 

A lord, master, companion, gentle- 
man, commonly used to denote a 
European. 

Samadh 

A cenotaph. 

Sat-bhai {lit. the seven brothers) 

A species of thrush, so called from 
the birds being gregarious, and usu- 
ally seven of them are found together. 

Shaitanpore 

A fictitious name for a place. Shai- 
tan signifies the Evil One — pore, a 
common termination, signifies a city. 

Shikar 

Sport, hunting, chase, prey, game, 
plunder, perquisites. 

Shrai 

A place for the accommodation of 
travellers, a khan, a caravansary. 

49 



Shroff 

A money changer, a banker. 

Sikh 

A "disciple," the distinctive name 
of the disciples of Nanak Shah, who 
in the sixteenth century established 
that sect, which eventually rose to 
warlike predominance in the Punjab, 
and from which sprung Ranjat Singh, 
the founder of the brief kingdom of 
Lahore. 

" Sinipkin" 

A Hindustani corruption of the word 
"champagne" 

Siris 

The tree Acacia, a timber tree of 
moderate size, best known in the 
Upper Provinces. 

Siva 

A Hindu god, the Destroyer and Re- 
producer, the third person in the 
Hindu triad. 

Solon 

A cantonment and hill sanitarium in 
the Punjab, near Simla. 

5i 



Subadar 

The chief native officer of a company 
of Sepoys. 

Sunderbunds 

The well-known name of the tract of 
intersecting creeks and channels, 
swampy islands and jungles which 
constitute that part of the Ganges 
Delta nearest the sea. 

Sutlej 

One of the principal rivers of India. 

Suttee 

The rite of widow-burning; i.e., the 
burning of the living widow along 
with the corpse of her husband, as 
formerly practised by people of certain 
castes among the Hindus, and emi- 
nently by the Rajputs. 



53 



Tamarisks 

A graceful feather-like shrub; is cov- 
ered with numberless little spikes of 
small pink flowers when in blossom. 

Tatia the Bhil 

A well-known dacoit of the Central 
Provinces. 

Tara Devi 

One of the Himalaya mountain peaks, 
near Simla. 

Tbag 

A highway robber, garotter. 

Thana 
A police station. 

Thakur 

A chief (among Rajputs). 

Thermantidote (heat antidote) 

A sort of winnowing machine fitted 
to a window aperture, and incased 
in wet tatties so as to drive a current 
of cool air into a house during hot 
dry weather (tatties are screens or 
mats made of the roots of a fragrant 
grass). 

55 



Tonga 

A two-wheeled car drawn by two 
ponies | curricle fashion, used for 
travelling in the hills. 

Tonk 

A state and city in Rajputana. 

"Tricbi" 

A contraction of Trichinopoly, a place 
on the S.E. coast of Hindustan, noted 
for its cigars — hence "Trichi" de- 
notes a Trichinopoly cigar. 

Tulwar 

A saber, used bv the Sikhs. 



57 



u 



Umballa 

A city and cantonment of the Umballa 
district, Punjab. Formerly the near- 
est station on the railway to Simla. 



59 



w 



Wababis 

A fanatical Mahommedan sect in 
South Arcot. 

Waler 

Horses imported from New South 
Wales are called " Walers." 



61 



Y 



Yabu 

A class of small hardy horse which 
comes from the highland country of 
Kandahar and Cabul. 

Yusufyaies 

Pathan tribe in Afghanistan. 



Zenana 

The apartments of a house in which 
the women of the family are secluded. 



63 



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